I'm a bit spastic when it comes to my gaming tastes: They'll change on a whim, and there have been many times (as my Steam profile shows fairly well) where impulse buys get the better of me. My backlog is enormous, and my patience is limited. 'Oh, I'll HAVE to get this new RPG, I heard the guy that wrote the music for the commercial has a cousin that knew a guy that worked on this game!', I'll say to myself. To be fair, as I've gotten older, this impulse has dropped considerably, but with a mix of low prices, digital distribution, and rose-tinted glasses, it's still a bit rough to kick the 'habit'. 
 
It's odd, because one of my favorite genres could actually help my habitual backlog growth: MMORPGS. I've played everything from Anarchy Online, Ultima Online, Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, and more recently, World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, EVE Online, and Everquest 2 (which is my current love). Now, this could do me some favors, as I'll be 1) saving money through a month (as only $15 or $30 a month could be a HUGE improvement to current next-gen spending habits, even with trade-ins), and 2) it'll give me persistent content, sugar-coated and greased up in rare loot drops and sexy equipment. It'll give me incentive to stick with one game, and one game only. Perhaps after dedicating my time to one or two games, that discipline will carry over to my console/handheld/general PC gaming habits.
 
What ways have you all learned to cure your backlog blues? What behaviors do you practice? Do they work? I think it's an interesting discussion, and I'm hoping one of you fine duders (or duderettes) could come up with a makeshift cure. My wallet thanks you.

I don't buy a game until I'm ready to play it. That's it. It's difficult to have a backlog when you don't buy games that you don't play immediately. With the exception of ridiculous Steam sales (like $2.50 TF2), very few games are cheaper at one point than they will be in a few months when I get around to playing them. In the last couple of years it's seemed like game prices, especially on the 360, have dropped really quickly. Even with a nice preorder discount, unless you plan on playing at launch, it will be cheaper in a month.  This saves money on games I do play and keeps me from spending money on a game that I never end up playing.
 
I know lots of people who will buy 6 games in a month if they're interested in them. They might end up playing two in that month. They eventually get to another two or three, but not until after the prices have dropped or sales have happened. Another one or two of those may just sit on a shelf forever because in the meantime, games have continued to be released and they haven't had time to play them all.

I just buy stuff and then never play/watch/read it. Am I a bad person? Probably.

I have yet to find a cure for Backlog-itis. Right now, I have Baldur's Gate, X-Com, Icewind Dale 2, Wizardry 8, Devil May Cry 4, Temple of Elemental Evil and Planescape Torment all staring at me waiting to be beaten, but I lack the ability to focus on a single one so I can just plow through and beat it, instead flip flopping through all of them. Really, even though most of the games I listed are quite difficult and lengthy, I really don't have an excuse for DMC. Just... haven't gotten around to it. Oh well, that's what summer vacation is for, right?

Save your backlog for that rainy day.  For instance, I'll have a primary game that
I'll put the majority of my time into. Right now it has been Dragon Age: Awakenings.
I've been playing that expansion & the original for two months. But now another
game is coming out that I want to play but it isn't here yet & I'm getting tired of
Dragon Age.
 
So at this point, rather than buying a new game while I wait, I can pick a game
to process in my back log.  In this case, I think it will be Alone In The Dark on
the 360 that came out a few years ago & never popped it into my Xbox.  Or
I might go mess with that Star Trek Online lifetime subscription that I have
or one of my Steam games that I picked up (one of those zombie games
for instance).  Or play one that is unfinished such as Mirror's Edge & see how
far I can make it over the coming 3-day weekend. Or try all of these games
in varying degrees.
 
So when I'm in a transition period from one primary game to the next, that
is the best time to hit the backlog.  And once your primary game arrives
you don't have to start playing it right away. You may want to give yourself
a week or two on the backlog game or try to finish it.  For me, I'll probably
start setting my transition period a month or two before the next release
so I can get some enjoyment out of my back-logged games.

I prioritize my games and consider required time commitment as a major factor. Thus, short but impactful singleplayer is a top selling point for me.

I try not to think about my Backlog. I live in the moment. If I actually sat down and listed my entire backlog and all of the games I never finished, it would be quite depressing (to start: MGS2, MGS3, Shadow of the Colossus, and Mass Effect - and that's the tip of the tip of the iceberg). I play whatever I feel like playing, and if I end up seeing the credits roll on something, that's great. For a while there it seemed like the GBA/DS was a great system with a low backlog requirement because it was rare I got new games for it, but in the last few years I've started playing more and more on my DS and I'm building up a pretty epic backlog there, too.

" @Lind_L_Taylor:  Ooh, I never thought of using my backlog as 'transition' games. I just sort of randomly played bits and pieces of quite a few at a time, but I think the point you bring up is a good one.  Hahah, I can see Civ IV being the 'go-to' relaxing transition game....then I'll watch as it turns into one of my 'main' games. :P  DAMN YOU SID MEIER "

" @Lind_L_Taylor:  Oh Gooddd, I never played Alone in the Dark, but is the 59th Street scene the car chase one? The one where if you mess up ONE part, you're transported all the back to the beginning of the track? I remember a good friend of mine calling me in the wee hours of the night, screaming about that one.  Is the jacket system where you're 'looking into your jacket' from first person? If so, that blew me away the first time I saw gameplay footage of it. It's the same thing for Dead Space, and how it 'projects' your inventory/datalogs into thin air with crazy holograph nastiness. Those two should combine with Metroid Prime and make the ultimate inventory system that all other games license out, like the Unreal Engine ahahah. "

I've got a backlog conundrum on my hands. I've got God of War III, Splinter Cell Conviction, and Red Dead Redemption... 
 
I've started God of War III but I'm really tempted to start RDR... ARGHHHHHH!

" @Barrock:  Oh man, that's always how my massive list starts, too. The good news is, though, those are three great games (although I haven't played RDR yet). Out of those, though, I'm thinking RDR will be the one to take the longest to beat. Doesn't Splinter Cell only take like six hours to beat? Or are you going for a complete run? "

Good idea for a topic! I have found that as I've grown older, my interest as well as time in games is not what it used to be, because of other things, such as money. I used to buy every good game that was released for the original Xbox but I only buy select games for the 360. If you think about saving money, it helps a bit lol.

" Good idea for a topic! I have found that as I've grown older, my interest as well as time in games is not what it used to be, because of other things, such as money. I used to buy every good game that was released for the original Xbox but I only buy select games for the 360. If you think about saving money, it helps a bit lol. "

" @ISuperGamerI said:

" Good idea for a topic! I have found that as I've grown older, my interest as well as time in games is not what it used to be, because of other things, such as money. I used to buy every good game that was released for the original Xbox but I only buy select games for the 360. If you think about saving money, it helps a bit lol. "

I end up procrastinating. "I should play God of War III!" Instead I end up watching quick looks or reading forums. "

" @Barrock said:

" @ISuperGamerI said:

" Good idea for a topic! I have found that as I've grown older, my interest as well as time in games is not what it used to be, because of other things, such as money. I used to buy every good game that was released for the original Xbox but I only buy select games for the 360. If you think about saving money, it helps a bit lol. "

I end up procrastinating. "I should play God of War III!" Instead I end up watching quick looks or reading forums. "

That helps too along with thinking about if it's justifiable spending $60-$70 on a game. "

" @ISuperGamerI said:

" @Barrock said:

" @ISuperGamerI said:

" Good idea for a topic! I have found that as I've grown older, my interest as well as time in games is not what it used to be, because of other things, such as money. I used to buy every good game that was released for the original Xbox but I only buy select games for the 360. If you think about saving money, it helps a bit lol. "

I end up procrastinating. "I should play God of War III!" Instead I end up watching quick looks or reading forums. "

That helps too along with thinking about if it's justifiable spending $60-$70 on a game. "

See, this usually ends up biting me in the ass, as I'm primarily a PC guy, and the Steam sales are just too good to pass up. I mean, Tropico 3 for 7.50? Various Valve games for $5? How can I afford NOT to take them up on the offer?!  Hence how now my Steam catalog is roughly 200 games, ahah! "

I tend to only buy games that get pretty high overall reviews or games I have a personal interest in, and I already have a massive backlog. I bought Eternal Darkness 2 years ago and still have only played the first ten minutes. The good thing though is that I do go back and try play all of the games. I didn't buy any videogames last year as I was focused more on other interests, and right now I have very limited money so I have no choice but to play these old games I amassed. Basically from now on I'm just going to try be a little bit smarter when it comes to game purchases. I think the idea of not buying a game until you've beaten all your current ones is good. You might miss out on a few games, or you might play them a long time after everyone else, but your money will be better spent. Why waste money buying games you won't play?

This is a really good topic to talk about because almost everybody has a backlog of games. In some fashion we buy games at an impulse, receive some as gifts, get hyped and buy them on day 1, etc. No matter what type of gamer we are, there is a 'backlog category' we all fall into.
 
Personally I have had a breakthrough on games and why I play them. I don't have to beat a game now just so that I can play that new game that comes out next week. The artificial deadline to finish a game put a complete damper on my ability to have some fun with the games. My backlog is not as big as yours, and it reminds me of games that don't interest me any longer. I have bought games/collection packs because I thought the game would not be available. Like I bought Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 and Odin Sphere all on the same day when each were $20. I did not want to wait and have to find them later. When I got around to playing KH 1, however, the game never evolved for me, and I lost interest quickly. KH2 and Odin Sphere are still shrink wrapped.

" I tend to only buy games that get pretty high overall reviews or games I have a personal interest in, and I already have a massive backlog. I bought Eternal Darkness 2 years ago and still have only played the first ten minutes. The good thing though is that I do go back and try play all of the games. I didn't buy any videogames last year as I was focused more on other interests, and right now I have very limited money so I have no choice but to play these old games I amassed. Basically from now on I'm just going to try be a little bit smarter when it comes to game purchases. I think the idea of not buying a game until you've beaten all your current ones is good. You might miss out on a few games, or you might play them a long time after everyone else, but your money will be better spent. Why waste money buying games you won't play? "

Buy that train sim they quicklooked today and dedicate yourself towards becoming a train sim master.

" Buy that train sim they quicklooked today and dedicate yourself towards becoming a train sim master. "

" @DystopiaX said:

" Buy that train sim they quicklooked today and dedicate yourself towards becoming a train sim master. "

Hahahah, isnt' that game like, 700 bucks for all the expansions and whatnot  DONE AND DONE, GOOD SIR  I PUT ON MY ROBE AND CONDUCTOR HAT "

I've tried to move games into my favorites section as the games that I have to finish before moving on to another game.  
 
Doesn't work :(

" @Geno: Oh God, I did this too. Well, I moved my 'high profile' games that I would 'play all the time' into my Favorites for easy access. It sort of works, but not nearly well enough: I still have 50+ games installed on my machine D: 
 
@DystopiaX:  Hahah, I can see the epic, final showdown being ontop of a mountain. A mountain of destroyed trains. "

I usually only buy full price games very rarely. In the last 2 years I bought Gears when I got the 360, Fable II for full price as well as L4d2, Mw2, Bbc2 (all on PC) on release day. I'm currently thinking about getting Red Dead Redemption but thats about it. I buy ALOT of games though. I usually wait a couple of months. Especially on PC prices drop rapidly. When a game gets released and I'm interested in it, the same game will be 7,50€ (I moved back to Germany) only a few months later on Steam (The Christmas Sale was terrifying, I made some bad decisions. But recently I got gems like Colonization and Tropico 3 for 7,50). So, I'm really poised to buy something if it is orbiting around 10€. I'm also hooked on Indie and xbla games. And to be honest, I often get more worth out of those games than full price ones, since they feature unique mechanisms or other ingenuities and that's my main interest in games. 
So, my rules for buying are as follows: If there is a game I REALLY NEED TO HAVE (very rarely, normally multiplayer shooters) I get it on launch for full price. If there is a new PC game im interested in a lot, I get it if it doesn't supersede the 30€ margin (This happens with 50% weekendsale on steam and or preorder sales in the UK sometimes get close). If its a PC game Im just interested I get it when it hits 10 bucks. Indie games that look good I usually get at full price as long it doesnt exceed 10€, when Im mildly intersted I wait until they drop to 2€ in times of a sale. Xbox games I have to order from UK (since all the GER games are region locked and I have an US box), so I usually ship them when they drop under 20 pounds.  

So, if you don't have to have the newest game but can show some patience then gaming inst that expensive after all.  
 
Edit: LOL. I realized I didnt answer your question. So my display of buying habits concludes that I usually have a big shelf of untouched games (or at least unbeaten, but why do I have to beat them anyway?). The point is, I see it like a shelf of books, so I can grab what I want and it looks awesome that I have so many. The good reader sees every library as a home work but doesn't get intimidated. The good gamer sees every backlog as a homework and doesn't get scared either ;).